Riding Tuition

Private Riding Lessons for half an hour with a Professional Instructor for children from 3 years to 6 years.

Our focus is on achieving an Empathetic Balanced Rider. Helping children to develop empathy, respect, gratitude and a love for ponies. We take care in encouraging but not over facing your child. Our lessons are kept private so that your child has the focus and attention they deserve.

From learning to ride for the simple pleasure or with a dream of competing, developing a correct position while enjoying time with the ponies is our aim.

We love to encourage and prepare children for the competitive disciplines of Show Hunter, Showing, Dressage, One Day Eventing and Show Jumping.

Our Schoolmaster ponies are safe, well-handled ex-competition ponies. Our ponies are perfect for shy or nervous children, children with disabilities or children who have suffered a loss. The ponies are the perfect size for teaching children to ride, your child will feel safe and not over-horsed. You will see your child grow in confidence as achievements are celebrated each lesson. Our Riding School Ribbon Days give the children an opportunity to compete against other riders. This teaches the children skills on how to manage themselves and a pony for competitive riding, plus a taste of winning ribbons.

Ground handling skills are paramount. If it is to wet to ride, we undertake Pony Care Lessons. These lessons focus on the care of the pony, pony behavior and pony/human body language so the children learn to handle the pony safely on the ground. If we feel the child is not confident in this area, we may change a riding lesson to a Pony Care Lesson to boost their confidence.

Facilities

Quiet, boutique and well presented. Our country grounds are well kept at all times. We have 8 acres of picturesque rolling paddocks. Our neighbors are generous in allowing us to ride on their properties giving us 30 acres of rolling land for hill work and cross country practice.

Safety is our highest priority for the children and our ponies. We start in the grass arena, then progress to the paddocks when it is safe for your child.

Preschool Lessons

Preschool Lessons are our Specialty. Teaching preschool children to ride is our bliss. If your child loves ponies and has shown an interest for a while, this could be the beginning of a great passion. Your child will learn to focus, communicate clearly and in time establish a correct, balanced position. This is so important for the children's safety and for the well being of all ponies.

Our little riders have beautiful positions, it is easy for them to learn the correct way from the beginning. Having fun at this age is important so we keep the lesson to 20 minutes with 10 minutes brushing and being with the pony. If your child has had enough riding in their lesson, we will return to the Barn to teach about brushing and handling the pony.

Pony Play Group is a good place to start if you not sure about your child's commitment to riding.

What an amazing experience with my daughter’s private lesson today, Kathryn was highly skilled, patient and had a great way of explaining things to my five year old. In her first lesson she brushed and lead the pony and was rising to the trot. Kathryn has utmost respect for her ponies and this shows in their manner with the children. Highly recommended.

Jess Taylor Cambridge October 5th, 2018

I totally recommend Kathryn Morgan for anyone who wishes their preschool child to learn the value of loving, learning to ride, looking after and handling ponies. Kathryn Morgan is an awesome teacher and a friend to both my children. They LOVE going to Riding Lessons and they have their own ponies. They have both learnt valuable skills, thanks to their lessons they have both learn't to speak up and share their thoughts. Andrew who at 2.5 years was not speaking his first words came quickly after lessons commenced - walk on, trot and Candy (the pony he was riding). We love our time at Kathryn's and LOVE that her ponies are so well looked after.

Elizabeth Ralph Te Kauwhata

Our 9 year old daughter started riding lessons with Kathryn Morgan in February 2016. I was hesitant about her taking lessons, as we had previously had a bad experience with a riding school. Word of mouth lead us to Kathryn and we were not disappointed.

Kathryn has a beautiful way with children. They trust her implicitly and our daughter who is often shy talks easily with Kathryn and asks questions when she is unsure. I have been so impressed by the way Kathryn works with the child to connect with the animal first and foremost. She has a calm, beautiful manner which children and animals respond to.

Kathryn puts safety first which was my biggest priority as a parent. She ensures the children work through each stage in their own time and instills correct riding techniques to enable them to have good

lifelong riding habits. I have enjoyed watching the process and learning how children can have fun on a

horse while learning to ride correctly.

In 9 short months we have watched our daughter become a confident, safe rider. She is horse crazy, but when asked who she loves more the horses or Kathryn she always chooses Kathryn!

I cannot recommend Kathryn highly enough. She is a wonderful instructor who has a teaching style that children respond to. She is teaching our daughter to be a sensible, conscious rider who can be confident in her ability to keep herself and her horse safe.

Our thanks to Kathryn for her time, effort and kindness. We will continue lessons with Kathryn indefinitely. She is simply fantastic! Karen Geer Te Pahu

My daughter has been riding with Kathryn for three years. She was very shy when she started her lessons. Kathryn is wonderful in the way she talks to the children and has a natural ability to gain children's trust. There was an amazing improvement in my daughters riding ability and confidence from very early on. Kathryn's ponies are wonderful, safe and well looked after. My daughter has her own ponies and constantly receives comments on what a stylish, balanced rider she is.

I love to tell them you can thank Kathryn for that! Rachelle Collings Hamilton

Our Lily has some extra challenges in life, and pony riding was suggested as a potential way of providing her with additional physical therapy. Like many children, Lily has a number of excellent strategies for avoiding things she finds difficult. She finds physical tasks in particular very hard to manage, and in group settings her non-participation is often overlooked. This means that individual riding lessons in a calm, uncluttered environment are ideal for encouraging her to participate and for increasing her confidence and physical ability.

When Lily first started pony riding lessons at Pony Tales, she was utterly overwhelmed. Whenever Star the pony would move, Lily would be absolutely terrified.

Despite wanting very much to be there, she would spend much of the lesson in tears and struggling to cope. I was worried that it was an absolute disaster, but Miss Kathryn was consistently kind and patient, gently reassuring Lily each time and showing her how to approach, pat, and groom the always tolerant Star. Within the space of a school term, Miss Kathryn had transformed a very skittish young girl into a confident wee pony rider who was able to independently groom and lead Star, and who now spent all of her lesson time in the saddle and grinning ear-to-ear.

Lily continues to thoroughly enjoy pony riding lessons with Star and Miss Kathryn at Pony Tales. It has been wonderful to see her confidence and ability improve each week. The physicality of being in the saddle has been excellent for developing her core strength and for strengthening her large muscle groups, leading to improved muscular control over her body. The activities in the ring work to improve Lily's hand-eye co-ordination and depth perception. Miss Kathryn's gentle and reassuring manner gives Lily the confidence she needs to try new things and to continue developing in her riding. In conjunction with this, the calm, semi-rural atmosphere at Pony Tales means that Lily leaves each lesson calm and ready to face the day's challenges. Rebekah Graham

Private Riding Tuition Fees

Preschool 3 - 5 years

$45 Half Hour 20 minutes Riding Instruction 10 minutes Brushing & Handling

Booked in increments of five lessons. Lessons to be paid in full before commencing.

Days available within School Hours Monday Afternoons, Wednesday & Thursday Mornings.

School Age 5 - 10 years or After School Lessons

$45 Half Hour Weekly Lesson throughout the School Term

Term Lessons to be paid in full before commencing 9 - 11 weeks depending on the term.

Lesson Days are Monday to Thursday.

We Have A Pony

Our lessons are great for children who are having difficulty managing or lack the confidence with their own pony. Your child will learn the skills and ability to progress under the experienced eye of Kathryn on our schoolmaster ponies. Ponies respond to clear signals and generally wish to please. Problems usually arise from constant unclear signals, riders lacking confidence, ill-fitting gear or the pony being sore. Once we have established the problem, we can then teach your child the correct aids and the importance of focus and intention. We can then work on a happy partnership between your child and their pony.

We have found our lessons are beneficial to parents with little or no riding experience. Through listening and being an active participant of which we encourage and helping with homework set, you can become a valued part of your child's riding experience. Learning to manage your child's riding at home is invaluable as you will learn to look for the signs therefore most situations can be avoided.

Mentoring our riders and preparing them to become competitive riders is a big thrill

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In riding a horse we borrow freedom - Helen Thomson

Elizabeth Ralph Te Kauwhata

Teaching children to ride and communicate with ponies is my bliss.

I have been blessed to be able to have my own horses and ponies for the last 40 years. In my earlier years, I competed in many disciplines.

I teach children so to inspire them to become Empathetic Balanced Riders in the hope that the ripple effect of empathy continues.

I am an Advanced Theta Healer and Reiki Master, Mother Earth Healing Instructor. Healing horses and seeing the emotional change within them, the difference in their well-being, and how thankful they are once they are understood is a blessing and something I am truly passionate about. If I can teach your child even a small part of this, to keep themselves and their pony safe, then I invite your child to join me on a journey of learning, feeling, and empowerment.